Marketing – What Has Changed?

I had a chance to hear John Jantsch talk recently. As a longtime Duct Tape Marketing groupie, it was a real treat to meet him face-to-face. He covered a lot of ground in his two hour presentation, but my favorite takeaway was about how marketing has changed.

The fundamental definition has not changed. It’s about getting someone who needs something to know, like and trust you. What has changed is how you accomplish those goals. Today, it’s about content marketing.

Listen over say – It’s harder than ever to get people to listen to what you have to say. With DVRs that allow you to record your programs and skip through commercials, no-call lists and email filters, your target customers can easily screen out your message. To make an impact, you need to stop talking and listen. Pay attention to what your clients are talking about and engage with them on their terms to get them to notice you.

Insight over information – These days, every consumer carries around access to the data which would fill a small library. We have more than enough information. What clients look for is a way to convert the data into information. Good marketing helps prospects wade through the information and feel comfortable making the choice to work with you.

Proof over promise – Everyone can talk a good game. Today’s consumer wants to see the proof that you can deliver what you promise: case studies, testimonials and social recommendations have more value than ever before.

Publish over prospect. – Jay Baer calls the idea of being a resource to your customers being a “youtility.” Much of the marketing content you produce needs to be focused on education, not sales. The payoff comes when people use search engines to find information. If you have been producing high-quality content, they will find you when they need you.

Trust over all – While John felt this was a new concept, I would argue that being an entity which delivers what you promise has always been central to successful marketing. The difference? It is easier than ever to uncover the fakes, the companies which say one thing and do something entirely different.

On the upside, there are more tools than ever before to help you deliver your marketing message. The challenge is, people will hold you to what you say. Want to learn more? Check out 7 Essential Steps to Online Presence.